Casket handle



March 29, 1932. H. WESEMANN CASKET HANDLE Filed Jan. 26. 1931 IN V ENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 29, 1932 HENRY WESEMANN,

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OF CASTANA, IOWA CASKET HANDLE Application filed January 26, 1931.Serial No. 511,271.

My invention relates to casket handles and has for its object to providean extensible handle for a casket which will facilitate carrying thecasket over a grave;

V A further object is to provide a handle which may be collapsed ortelescoped and folded to a position against the side of the casketwherein it occupies a minimum of space.

Another objectis to provide a casket construction including a pluralityof extensible handles and, in combination therewith, a removable railwhich may be employed where desired, as, for instance, where the bodycarried in the casket is exceedingly heavy.

A further object is to provide anextensible casket handle embodyinglocking means for holding the extensible portion of the handle ineitherextended or retracted position.

Another object is to provide an extensible casket handle of relativelysimple, durable, and inexpensive construction, and yet possessed of anabundance of strength.-

WVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby theobjects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken transversely through acasket,equipped with my invention,

Figure 2 is a similar view, the handle being shown in extended position,

Figure 3 is a detail, longitudinal, sectional view through the handleand the adjacent casket portion, r Figure 4 is a side elevation of theextensible portion ofthe handle,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the handle in extended position,

Figure 7 is a plan View of the handle in folded position,

Figure 8 is a plan view of a casket equipped with the extensiblehandles, the latter being .5 provided with the removable rail, and

Figure 9 is a' detail, elevational view of a portion of the rail. v i

I have used the reference character 10 to indicate the .side wall of acasket having the bottom wall 11 and the cover 12.

The handle of my invention includes a bracket 13 provided with openings14 to receive screws or securing elements by means of which the bracketis secured to the side wall 10 ofthe casket. c

The bracket 13 has the integral spaced ears 15 which are positioned nearthe lower end of the bracket to leave an upwardly extending bracketplate 16 to form an abutment for the end of the handle member 17 whichispivoted between the ears 15.

The handle member 17 is formed as a tube, and is provided intermediateits ends with an integral ear 18 whichis drilled to provide a hingesleeve to receive the hinge pin 19 by means of which the handle member17 is hinged between the ears 15.

A handle member 20 is telescopically mounted within thetubular handlemember 17 and is provided at its outer end with a knob 21 which limitsthe member 20 proper when telescoped to a position wherein the in perend thereof is a trifle shortof the end of the tubular handle member 17.Thus the engagement of the handle member with the bracket plate 16 isbetween the end of the tu bular iandle member :17 and the plate.

The tubular handle member 17 and the ear 18 are arranged so that thetelescoping member 20 may move past the ear 18, and thusam'aximum'amount of space for reception of thetelescoping member isprovided with a minimum amount of projection of the tubular handlemember beyond its pivot.

This is rather important'in view of'the j fact that the utility of theinvention is in.- creased by anincrease in the length of the extendedhandle (up to a certain limit), and yetwhen the handle is in itsinoperative position shown in Figure 1, it is desirable that it projectbelow its hinge pivot a minimum distance. In view of the fact thatcasket handles are positioned near the bottom of the casket in orderthat the casket may be car ried in as elevated a position as possible,this feature is of importance. It will be seen that should the reclininghandle extend below the bottom of the casket that it would interferewith the resting of the casket on a flat supporting surface.

The telescoping handle member 20 is provided with a double, bayonet slot22 and a set screw 23 is threaded through the tubular handle member 17near the outer end thereof and extends into the bayonet slot22. By

giving the telescopin handle member 20 a slight turn after it has beendrawn or pushed to extended or telescoped position, the set screw 23 maybe caused to enter either one of the short end portions of the bayonetslot 22, thereby locking the telescoping handle member againstlongitudinal movement.

The rail member 24; is provided with spaced integral rings 25 to receivethe respective handle members 20, and when mounted thereon as shown inFigure 8, the rail may be moved inwardly or outwardly together with the.telescoping handle members 20.

The rings 25 are made large enough so that they will receive the tubularhandle member 17, although not large enough to slip over the knob 21 andthus the members 20 may be telescoped to entirely closed positions andlocked in these positions while the rail 24 is attached.

The engagement of the end of the tubular handle member 17 against theplate 16 places the handle member in a rigid, outstanding positionrelative to the side of the casket and enables the weight of the casketto be supported by the handle when the latter is lifted.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purposeof my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. In a casket handle, a bracket including a plate member attachable toa casket and an ear formed integrally therewith and extending laterallytherefrom, a tubular handle, member provided with a bore extendingsubstantially the full length thereof, and an ear formed integrally withsaid tubular handle member, projecting from one side thereof, andpositioned intermediate the ends of said bore, said car being pivoted tothe bracket ear, one end of the tubular handle member projecting beyondthe ear a distance sufiicient to allow said end to engage against theplate member when the tubular memher is in an outstanding positionrelative thereto, and an extensible handle member telescopically mountedwithin the tubular handle member and of a length suflicient tosubstantially fill the same when telescoped.

2. A pair of casket handles, each comprising, a bracket including aplate member attachable to a casket and an integral ear formed thereon,a tubular handle member pivoted at one side to said ear, one end of thetubular handle member projecting beyond the pivot point sufiiciently sothat it may engage the plate member when the tubular handle member is inan outstanding position relative thereto, an extensible handle membertelescopically mounted within the tubular handle member, a rail providedwith a pair of rings receiving the extensible handle members of'therespective handles, the extensible handle members being provided withknobs larger thanthe openings of said rings, the openings of said ringsbeing of sufficient diameter to receive the tubular handle-members, andinter-engaging means on the tubular and extensible handle members,respectively, for locking the latter in a closed position wherein itshead will retain. the rail in position receiving the tubular handlememers.

Signed this 22nd day of January, 1931, at Sioux City, Iowa.

HENRY VVESEMANN.

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